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I recently attended a talk by a young dynamic priest who gave a very encouraging and challenging message. He informed the entire congregation that we are at war with the evil one, that the war had already begun and continues around us every day. He ended by asking us a very thought-provoking question: ARE YOU READY FOR WAR? Looking at my oversized body due to the extra calories I had gained during the holidays, I was far from ready for even a jog, leave alone a war. This question however, penetrated deep into my heart and I began reflecting on what sort of war takes place around us.
I am sure if we are asked on whose side are we , we would rather promptly say that we are definitely on God’s side. However, this may not always be true. We may have good intentions but we tend to keep shifting sides. Our lips may proclaim that we are for God but the way we lead our life begs to differ. Before we go any further, let us first analyse this war.
Recognizing our enemy isn’t as straightforward as it seems. While we believe we can identify challenges, the evil one often disguises himself through people, events, situations, and even our own emotions. These seemingly innocent elements become tools for his influence, subtly entrapping us before we realize it. The enemy’s strategy encompasses the pursuit of riches, power, honor, pride, and self-centeredness. Although blessings from God, these can divert us from His purpose. People chase after success, often at the expense of others. Yet, God calls us to use our talents and resources for His work, emphasizing a selfless and interconnected existence. True Christianity involves looking beyond ourselves and embracing love for others, as Jesus did. In a world that encourages individualism, embracing communal love becomes a powerful expression of our faith.
So what is the plan of God? The plan of God is simply to empty oneself. We can say in other words: ‘death of the ego.’ People give too much importance to themselves and their needs and are often upset, hurt, and disappointed. But ‘death of the ego’ means being secure in our identity as children of God. This death of the ego should be for a cause that God has called us to, otherwise, the danger is that death of the ego may soon turn to self-pity.
The plan of God is that we empty ourselves and live for others and with others. The process is painful and hurtful, but true love will hurt. Only if we are empty can there be a place for others in our life. If we are so full of ourselves and our problems, we will have very little time to bother about our neighbor.
The best part of this war is that we know God has already won thanks to the great work of Christ on the cross. Yet we need to complete the work of Christ through our lives, as St. Paul mentions in Colossians 1:24. Therefore, we need to always be alert and on guard, but not be obsessed with the evil one.
Our focus should be on the love of God and His mission of love, not on the evil one and how to escape his tricks. We should not give the enemy more attention than he deserves. After all, Jesus has got it all sorted for us!
Christian families are missionary families, in their everyday life, in their doing everyday things, as they bring to everything the salt and the leaven of faith!
Pope Francis 